Ore sampling device



Oct. 24, 1944. c. H. SHAW ORE SAMPLING DEVICE .Filed Aug. 1a, 1943 IN VEN TOR.

.lllllilllflll/I/l/Illlil BY l zarles 6 Shaw JTTORNE Y Patented Oct. 24, 1944 u Mire-o STATZE'FS ORE SAMPLING-DEVICE Charles .H. .Shaw, Tacoma, Wash., :assignor to x American smelting and Refining Company,- New York, N. $5., a corporation ofNew Jersey Application August 18, 1943, Serial No. 499,887

Claims.

"This invention relates to apparatus for sampling material in bulk and more particularly an improved ore sampling device whereby a more a'ccuraterepresentative sample of the ore or concentrate 'is Obtained.

both ends and forms a casing for the sample core. 'The tube 5 is 'provided near its upper-end with suitable handle means [2 which are 'firnily fixed thereto by -means of a reinforcingband or *In'the sampling of bulk material such as ores.

concentrates and the like-as receivedin carload lots, it'hasbeenthe practice in some instances to utilize'a 'pipe or auger tocollect increments of thematerial fromdifferent areas over 'thecar which are combined to form the gross sample.

Using suchdevices,'however, it has been observed that :the sample core cannot be removed completely, particularly at the bottom of the hole, because of "the partial vacuum created as the sample core is withdrawn. As a, result a portion o'f the sample'is pulled away from the rest andrfallsback into :the 'hole. Thisvacuum pulling'forc'eus accentuated 'wh-enwet, sticky material is being sampled "so that it is 'difiicult to secure: a' truly'representative sample.

1It -:is the principal object of my invention 'to providea samplingdevice which eliminates the formation of a partial vacuum duringiuse ofthe samplerwhereby a sample 'core ofthe section to be assayed can be more easily obtained.

Another objectis to "provide avsampling device of the character described which combines the principles of pipe and auger sampling with means for preventing a partial vacuum from forming as the'sample core of material is 'ex-- tracted whereby-the sample may be'withdrawn from the pipe without loss.

Although thenovel featureswhich are believed to \be characteristic of this invention 'willbe particularly pointed out in the claims appended hereto, .thein-vention itself,;as to'its objects and advantages, and manner in whichit may be practiced, may be more readily understood by referring {to the "following description in connection with the accompanying drawing, forming a part thereof, in which Fig. 1 is a vertical cross sectional view taken through my sampling device and illustrating the auger in position to withdraw a sample core portion, the device being shown broken away in parts to better illustrate the construction;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the device shown in Fig. 1 with a portion of the operating handle shown broken away; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary View similar to Fig. 1 illustrating the position of the air vent plug when withdrawing the sample.

Referring to the drawing in detail, In designates a tube of suitable length which is open at collar 13. The collar 3 with attached handles l-2Iis preferably welded to the tube, as'indicated iriFig. 1. 1

Arranged for operation in the tube I0 "is an auger, generally designated M. This auger'comprisesa hollow shaft 15, such: as a pipe of similar length'as the'tube 1'0, which isprovided at its upperend'witha cross rod comprising a flattened cap portion "[5 adapted to seat across thefupper end of the tube m'when the augerishaft'isin'i'ts lowermost position, and crank portion H for turning the auger shaft-"during use.

pered to for-ma plug' 2d. --The rod 22'when'adjusted to its lowermost position closes'thevent 2i] asillustrated in Fig. 1. .During the-boring operation'the vent 2G is kep closed to prevent particlesof'the material being sampled from entering the 'hollow shaft i5. For manipulating the rod 22 to open orclose the opening 20 aiink or :ring ZBis provided at its upper end which maybe grasped when positioning the rod. Normally the rod ZZ-is heldin its closed .positionby a spring clip '28 suitably "fasteried to thecapalfi which'is adapted to be pivoted to one side to-permit raising of the'rod :22 and opening of the vent 20.

In operation of the device, forexample when taking samples of pm or concentrates asreceived in a car where the ore coversthe floor for a depth of two or three feet, a suitable template is used to lay out the places over the surface area of the car where sample cores are to be obtained. These sampling places or spots are ordinarily spaced regularly over the surface area of the car. To take the sample, the :ore sampling tube iii of my device is preferably lubricated, then grasped by the handles I 2 and forced vertically down into the ore until it has penetrated approximately six inches. The auger Hi is then inserted in the tube II] with the plug clamped in place so as to close the vent 20, as illustrated in Fig. 1. The auger shaft I5 is then rotated by'means of the crank I! to advance the auger blade l8 through the concentrates to within approximately inch of the bottom of tube Hi. When this point is reached, the plug 22 is raised so as to open the vent 20 and allow air to enter the tube below the auger blade 18. Then the auger is slowly lifted upwardly about six inches, withdrawing the six inch core up the tube. Then the tube is forced further downwardly into the bed of ore another six inches together withthe auger until the latter reaches the ore then in the lower end of the tube. The vent is again closed and the auger turned until it reaches to within inch of the bottom of the tube in its new position, the vent again opened and the .auger lifted, raising the core above the auger blade up the tube.

This sequence of operations is repeated in sixinch steps until the floor of the car is reached,

- care being taken to clamp the plug 22 in place to close' the vent 20 of theauger each time before drilling successive core sections and releasing the plug before the sample core is lifted with the auger. In the last step, after drilling to the floor bottom, the auger, with a complete sample core and the tube l0 are removed as a unit from the ore which is then placed over 'a suitable receptable for receiving the composite core sample.

It will be apparent from the. foregoing description of my device that other means than that shown and described may be employed for admitting airbelow the auger blade to prevent the formation of a vacuum when withdrawing the sample core. While certain features of the invention have been particularly described and illustrated and are pointed out in the annexed claims, it will be understood that various omissions, substitutions and changes may be made by those skilled in the art without departing casing, said auger being provided with a passage for admitting air below said auger while said sample core portion is being withdrawn to storage whereby the formation of a vacuum in the empty space created by the removal of material with said auger is prevented.

2. A sampling device of the character described comprising a tube open at both ends which is adapted to be inserted into the material being sampled to confine a sample core of said material, au'ger means for boring through said sample care 'while retained in said tube, said auger comprising a hollow shaft for admitting air therethrough to said sample core adjacent the boring end of said auger, means for withdrawing the auger and sample core bored through while admitting air along the hollow shaft of said auger to thereby equalize the atmospheric pressure on said sample core during its withdrawal, and means for closing the hollow air passageway in said auger shaft to prevent the entrance thereintoof sample core material during the boring operation.

3. A sampling device of the character described comprisinga tubing having handle means fixed adjacent one end and adapted. for guiding and forcing said tubing into the material to be sampled, a hollow shaft having boring means on one end arranged in said tubing for boring through the sample core confined by said tubing, a crank on the outer end of said hollow shaft for operating the boring means, said hollow shaft allowing the free passage of air from the outer end of the core to the opposite end whereby the sample core can be withdrawn without loss due to the creation of a partiallvacuum inthe tubing as the core sample or increments thereof are moved through the tubing.

4. In a device of the character described a tube for insertion in the material to be sampled, auger means arranged in said tube for boring through the core of material confined by said tube. said auger comprising an elongated hollow shaft through which air is vented into said tube below the lower end of the auger, a vent located at the lower end of said hollow shaft and com municating therewith which is adapted to be closed when boring with said auger, and means comprising a rod extending through said hollow shaft which is operableto maintain said vent closed during said boring and operable -to,open

said vent when a sample core portion is being withdrawn.

5. In a sampling device of the character described the combination with an auger and tubing for obtaining sample cores of bulk material and wherein said tubing is adapted for insertion in the material to be sampled and said auger is disposed in the tubing for boring through the core of material confined by said tubing, of means for venting the tubing below the auger when withdrawing sample core portions, said venting means being adapted to be closed durin operation of said auger to bore through said sample core.

CHARLES H. SHAW. 

